# Post a list of your 10 "landmark" albums in chronological order **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508 "2018-04-16T14:23:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/1 "2018-04-16T14:23:20Z")
I’m looking for the albums that were, to you, personal breakthroughs in your music education. They may not be your favorites - hell, you may not even like them much any more - but at the time you discovered them, they had a profound effect on your journey into music. Mine, in chronological order: 1964 - The Beatles - Meet the Beatles 1972 - Elton John – Honky Chateau 1972 - David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars 1972 - Lou Reed – Transformer 1974 - Jethro Tull - War Child 1974 - Kiss - Kiss 1975 - Bob Dylan – Blood on the Tracks 1977 - Steely Dan - Aja 1982 - Elvis Costello - Imperial Bedroom 1986 - Paul Simon - Graceland Odd that my most recent entry is more than 30 years old. I have found new music that I really enjoy since Graceland, to be sure, but nothing that would unseat the 10 listed above. _(Graceland was 32 years ago?!?)_ mmm ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/2 "2018-04-16T14:42:15Z")
1959 - _Time Out_, Dave Brubeck Quartet 1963 - _Live at Carnegie Hall_, Dave Brubeck Quartet 1964 - _The Times They Are A-Changin’_, Bob Dylan 1965 - _Rubber Soul_, Beatles 1967 - _Are You Experienced_, Jimi Hendryx Experience 1967 - _Buffalo Springfield_, Buffalo Springfield 1968 - _White Album_, Beatles 1977 - _Elegant Gypsy_, Al Dimeola/Paco de Lucia 1992 - _Brasileiro_, Sergio Mendes 1994 - _Talking Timbuktu_, Ali Farka Toure with Ry Cooder ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/3 "2018-04-16T15:06:51Z")
1964 – _Man of La Mancha_ 1968 – _Sgt. Pepper_ 1968 – _Urban Spaceman_ – The Bonzo Dog Band 1968 – _We’re Only In It For the Money_ – Mothers of Invention 1969 – _Ummagumma_ – Pink Floyd 1970 – _Third_ – Soft Machine 1970 – _The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus_ – Spirit 1970 – _John Barleycorn Must Die_ – Traffic 1974 – _Who’s Next_ 1980 – _Lights In the Night_ – Flash in the Pan I don’t find it odd that the list ends in 1980; I pretty much stopped buying music after that. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/4 "2018-04-16T15:36:49Z")
Still working on my list, but a couple of things: 1. May I assume that “chronological order” means the order you discovered them, even if this doesn’t match the order the albums were released? 2. If anyone wants to add commentary or explanation about _why_ those particular albums were “personal breakthroughs in your music education,” I, for one, would be interested. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/5 "2018-04-16T16:42:05Z")
In chronological order as per the OP’s example… 1. [Children’s Record Guild, LP](https://2104310a1da50059d9c5-d1823d6f516b5299e7df5375e9cf45d2.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/nmbx/2013/09/crg.jpg) with “Carrot Seed”, “Creepy Crawly Caterpillar”, “Sleepy Family”, “A Walk in the Forest”, “Eensie Beensie Spider”, “Train to the Farm”, “Train to the Zoo”, “Nothing to Do”, “Mother Goose Songs”, “Muffin in the City”, “Muffin in the Country”, and “Hot Cross Buns” – 1962 2. Tchaikovsky’s _Nutcracker_ selections (don’t know which conductor / orchestra / etc) – 1963 3. Ferde Grofé, _[Grand Canyon Suite and Death Valley Suite](https://www.discogs.com/Ferde-Grof%C3%A9-With-The-Capitol-Symphony-Orchestra-Grand-Canyon-Suite-Death-Valley-Suite/release/3835914)_, Grofe himself conducting Capitol Symphony Orchestra, 1967 4. Wagner, _[Magic Fire Music](https://www.ebay.com/itm/SEALED-EUGENE-ORMANDY-THE-PHILADELPHIA-ORCH-Magic-Fire-Music-LP-COLUMBIA-360/400518160845?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D50998%26meid%3Dd8d8b7f4e3854f7abaf9837dd0d3b087%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D382404971277%26itm%3D400518160845&_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850)_, Ormandy conducting – 1969 5. Pink Floyd, _Dark Side of the Moon_, 1975 6. Yes, _Fragile_, 1975 7. Pink Floyd, _The Wall_, 1979 8. Georg Deuter, _Aum_, 1986 9. Sarah McLachlan, _Fumbling Towards Ecstasy_, 1995 10. Neil Young and Crazy Horse, _Psychedelic Pill_, 2013 ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/6 "2018-04-16T17:44:40Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Still working on my list, but a couple of things: > > 1. May I assume that “chronological order” means the order you discovered them, even if this doesn’t match the order the albums were released? > > 2. If anyone wants to add commentary or explanation about _why_ those particular albums were “personal breakthroughs in your music education,” I, for one, would be interested. 1. Yes. Mine happen to match, although now that I think about it Transformer and Ziggy came to me several years after they were released. 2. Agreed. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/7 "2018-04-16T17:45:59Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > …10. Neil Young and Crazy Horse, _Psychedelic Pill_, 2013 I’d like to hear about this selection. mmm ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/8 "2018-04-16T19:51:59Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I’d like to hear about this selection. No particular story behind it, it just became theme music for awhile for me. I really liked [this track](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub1qw2MmVOM). ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/9 "2018-04-16T20:03:43Z")
Dates are dates of album release. John Gilmore and Clifford Jordan, Blowing In From Chicago, 1957 Jimmie Rodgers, Train Whistle Blues, 1958 Bob Dylan, Blonde on Blonde, 1966 Rolling Stones, Between The Buttons, 1967 Wilson Pickett, The Wicked Pickett, 1967 Hank Williams, Greatest Hits,1968 Van Morrison, Astral Weeks, 1968 Laura Nyro, Eli and the 13th Confession, 1968 Van Morrison, Veedon Fleece, 1974 Tom Waits, Rain Dogs, 1985 ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/10 "2018-04-16T20:10:13Z")
How do we include classical music in this thread? By the date of composition or the release of the recording? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/11 "2018-04-16T20:45:55Z")
Put in the date when you discovered it! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/12 "2018-04-16T22:03:45Z")
1.Alice Cooper ’ School’s out’ 2. The Beatles 'Sgt. Pepper 3.4.5.6. All Beatles albums…I ended up with the complete collection. 7. John Lennon 'Mind Game’s 8. John Lennon 'Walls and Bridge’s 9. Mott the Hoople ?, can’t remember which album. 10. John Lennon ‘Starting over’ ( the last vinyl I bought) I can’t remember the dates, mostly bought in high school and college. I was late to beatle-mania. Loved John the best.○-○ ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2018, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/13 "2018-04-16T23:16:47Z")
By the order the albums came out, which is close to when I discovered them. 1. Whipped Cream & Other Delights - Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, 1965 (The cover got me through puberty.) 2. Sounds of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel, 1966 (The first record album I had that my father didn’t like. He didn’t hate it, though.) 3. Cheap Thrills - Big Brother & The Holding Company, 1968 (And my introduction to R. Crumb’s art as well) 4. The Mason Williams Phonograph Record - Mason Williams, 1968 5. Child Is Father To The Man - Blood, Sweat & Tears, 1968 6. Jesus Christ Superstar - Original Cast Album, 1970 7. The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus - Spirit, 1970 (College days, in memory ever green.) 8. Fragile - Yes, 1971 9. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd, 1973 10. Tales of Mystery and Imagination - Alan Parsons Project, 1976 ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/14 "2018-04-17T00:22:43Z")
1959 - _Time Out_, Dave Brubeck Quartet 1960 - _Blues and Roots_, Charles Mingus 1966 - _Revolver_, The Beatles 1967 - _This Was_, Jethro Tull\* 1967 - _Are You Experienced_, Jimi Hendrix Experience 1969 - _Led Zeppelin_ (I), Led Zeppelin 1986 - _Graceland_, Paul Simon 1996 - _Buena Vista Social Club_, Ry Cooder et al. 2005 - _Rodrigo y Gabriela_, Rodrigo y Gabriela\*\* 2006 - _Back to Black_, Amy Winehouse \*And pretty much every album released in 1967 \*\*I don’t think this is the name? But I can’t find my CD Any idea why we still call them “albums”? When they haven’t been actual albums since like 1953. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/15 "2018-04-17T00:48:57Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > Any idea why we still call them “albums”? When they haven’t been actual albums since like 1953. What do you feel is the definition of “album”? I’m pretty sure it means “a collection of songs” isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@Troy\_McClure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/16 "2018-04-17T01:48:10Z")
1. The Muppet Movie soundtrack 2. The Buffalo Bills: Barber Shop! 3. Simon and Garfunkel: Bridge Over Troubled Water 4. Billy Joel: Streetlife Serenade 5. ABBA: Super Trouper 6. Van Halen: 1984 7. U2: The Joshua Tree 8. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here 9. The Cars: Greatest Hits 10. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Uncle Charlie and His dog Teddy ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/17 "2018-04-17T02:22:29Z")
Well, here are the _first_ 10. I could easily list twenty more… [ol] [li]1960 or so: Collection of American Folk Songs (“Old Dan Tucker”, “Oh Shenandoah”. “Get Along Home, Cindy” “There Was An Old Lady”, etc)[/li][li]1965: Thunderball soundtrack[/li][li]1966: Rubber Soul[/li][li]1967: Sgt Pepper[/li][li]1967: The Doors[/li][li]1969: Tommy[/li][li]1969: On The Threshold of a Dream[/li][li]1970: Live At Leeds[/li][li]1971: Meddle[/li][li]1971: Tarkus[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/18 "2018-04-17T02:23:00Z")
It should be said that there are way more than ten and any of them could have replaced others in my list. Albums like _Days of Future Past_ that stretched the idea of rock music into the orchestral realm, _Gunfighter Ballads_, by Marty Robbins, the amazing harmony of The Everly Brothers and The Mamas and The Papas, and the early girl-rock music of artists like Linda Ronstadt. And I wouldn’t even know where to begin with the jazz genre, although certainly _Kind of Blue_ was hugely influential for me, along with the great Getz/Gilberto collaboration. ---
**Author:** ![Fifties\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fifties\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fifties_Son)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/19 "2018-04-17T04:05:01Z")
1. Elvis Presley Elvis 2.Pendulum C.C.R. 2. Revolver Beatles 4.Rubber Soul Beatles 3. Garage Metallica 4. Can’t buy a thrill Steeley Dan 5. Come and see the show E.L.P. 6. Aqualung Jethro Tull 7. Toys in the attic Aerosmith 8. Every picture tells a story Rod Stewart ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2018, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508/20 "2018-04-17T05:04:27Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > Any idea why we still call them “albums”? When they haven’t been actual albums since like 1953. 😕 1953 ?? Do you perhaps mean [1983?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_disc) Or perhaps [1999?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napster) I was still buying LPs on into the 90s. (And they’re back, although you probably realize that). In the mid to late 70s, a lot of music was distributed on cassette tape, but it was still in the form of an album. When I switched to purchasing my music on CDs, those, too, were in the form of an album. Only when digital tracks, divorced from any specific context, could be downloaded (legally or illegally) did the notion of “album” start to fade, but even then artists tended to produce clusters of tracks that they dubbed with an album title. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-a-list-of-your-10-landmark-albums-in-chronological-order/812508.md?page=2)